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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13756
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In my living room, as my guest this afternoon, sat a man we know slightly. Some 30 or so years ago we had sold him a puppy. He had come to pick our brains about our town in case he wants to move here. He has no idea that I am anything but heterosexual, but that should not matter. We recommended that he and his wife visit a local tea rooms.
"Ah, that's the one run by two queers?"
I was very good. I didn't immediately remove his dick and shove it down his throat. Instead my wife suggested that they are very nice people who run a most excellent establishment. Neither of us mentioned that they are great friends, too.
"Queers are very good in the hotel and catering trades," he said, on hearing that.
This casual disparagement, dehumanisation and diminishing of human beings disgusted me. I still held my tongue, but it has rankled all afternoon, perhaps more than it ought to have. It wasn;t just the words, it was the dismissive 'I am far better than any queer' tone of voice that got to me.
I could have said that queers breed damned good puppies, too, but I think it would have gone over his head.
I met our friends the two queers by chance this evening. They are used to it, of course, but that doesn't make it any nicer. And why do they need to be used to it? After all you wouldn't speak of the two niggers who run the corner shop, would you?
It affected me personally as well as on my friends' behalf. This epithet was hurled as a vicious insult when I was growing up. It made me cringe then and it makes me cringe today. But it is the tone of voice when deploying it that `I truly object to.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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I've found myself in similar situations. I keep quiet and try to change the subject in a subtle way.
I often blame myself for the situation, as I have kept my sexuality quiet and they just don't know about me.
But it bugs me that folks still have such stereotypes in their heads. I guess saying heterosexuals are just as capable in the hotel and hospitality trades is the best come-back.
raysstories.com
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13756
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But one cannot blame one's self for their voluntarily expressed bigotry. If one were out to them then would be wishing to express it anyway, and would be keeping quiet, if they did, out of politeness.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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That reminds me of the quote made by CJ in 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin': 'There are plenty of opportunities for the gifted homosexual...'
Stereo typing writ large as it was in the entire series.
Ian
Visit my Blog: http://thepaintheagony.blogspot.co.uk/
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